BOILERMAKERS NATIONAL OUTSTANDING APPRENTICE AWARD
In the pages to follow you will learn how each of the area competitions proved extremely beneficial to the Boilermaker Industry; so beneficial that it led to the establishment of the National Competition. The National Joint Board approved the National Competition during its April 19-21, 1988 session in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Each area’s award winner would compete in the National Competition to determine the most Outstanding Apprentice of the Year.
On April 12, 2000 the National Joint Board voted to establish the Boilermakers National Area Team Award. Therefore, each area now sends their area award winner as well as their second place winner. (See Boilermakers National Apprenticeship Area Team Award)
Purpose:
The most important purpose of any competition is to MOTIVATE the competitors who want to establish or prove their worth. One usually thinks of a competition as a struggle with others for a victory or supremacy. From the very minute a person is born on this earth, they begin to compete. That competition or motivation applies to the Boilermaker Apprentices, the Apprenticeship Training Programs and our entire Union of which we are members, and the Companies we are employed by.
Seeing Is Believing:
Competition is also a way to identify the “weak links” in our business, areas where certain skills are not being taught correctly or have not been introduced. The National Competition is a way to encourage proper training, a way to put pride in the areas and additional ambitions for the apprentices while they are serving their apprenticeship. The more attention given to quality training, the more competitive our apprentices and journeymen will become throughout the Boilermaker Industry. No one can argue with quality.
Being Our Best:
Holding apprentice competitions on a national scale forces us all to be at our best because we are out front for everyone to see. The Local Lodges and members, the entire construction and repair industry, and the general public will focus their attention on us during the event. Everyone has an interest and wants to see what is being done in the training of future journeymen boilermakers. Everyone who is a part of this program from the apprentice who is just starting the program, to the client whose equipment the Boilermaker installs and repairs has a right and needs to be shown what the National Apprenticeship Program is accomplishing through the training program.
Award Title and Award:
The name of the award is the Boilermakers National Apprenticeship Award. The award shall be presented each year to the outstanding apprentice in the United States of America who has completed an apprenticeship under the Boilermakers National Apprenticeship Program.
The winner, the winner’s local and the winner’s area that receives the National Boilermaker Award tonight certainly are deserving of recognition because you have made your mark on the Boilermaker National Apprenticeship Program. But let’s never lose sight of what “The Boilermaker National Apprenticeship Award” is in honor of. It is in honor of all those who have given unselfishly of their time, knowledge and skills in order that you could prove yourself this week, and in honor of the many Skilled Boilermaker Craftsman who go unrecognized but yet have given so much in order that others might learn through the Boilermaker Apprenticeship Program.
The candidate with the highest overall score wins the Boilermakers National Apprenticeship Award. The winner receives a bronze sculpture sculpted by John T. Cody, a check for $1,000, as well as a framed photograph of the National award. The local lodge of the winner also receives a framed photograph of the National award entailed with the winner’s name and year competition.
In July of 1989, the National Committee approved additional monies for the runner-up candidates, $600.00 to the second place winner, and $300.00 to all remaining candidates. All candidates receive an award for competing in the National Competition. Our congratulations to all of those who have and will in the future compete for the Boilermakers National Outstanding Apprentice Award!
Requirements for Candidates:
To be eligible to compete for the National Boilermakers Apprenticeship Award the candidates must have completed the Boilermakers National Apprenticeship Program in the year proceeding the award date. In addition to completing the National Boilermakers Apprenticeship Program, he/she must have competed and won their area’s competition.
The apprentices’ years of study, on the job training, self-discipline, and skillful practice of the Boilermaker craft become apparent and are tested rigorously during the competition’s hands-on and written testing. Candidates compete on written examination of, the four years related studies and OJT modules, the history of the organization, referral rules, National agreements, labor history, various laws which affect the boilermaker industry and contractor responsibility, field sketching, mechanical drawing, blueprint reading, as well as safety. Hands-on tasks include rigging, layout fabrication, tube rolling, rope splicing, knot typing, tools and small boiler identification, hand signals, reeving, welding and burning.
2007 BNAP National Outstanding Apprentice Competition
Christopher P. Knox, Local 83 (right) of the Southeast Area is presented with the 20th Annual National Outstanding Apprentice of the Year Award by BNAP Chairman, Gerard J. Kaelin (left).
William B. Vanmeter, Local 40 (right) of the Southeast Area is presented with the 2nd Place Award of the 20th National Competition by BNAP Chairman, Gerard J. Kaelin (left).
Recipients of the Boilermakers National ‘Outstanding’ Apprenticeship Award
| YEAR | RECIPIENT | AREA | LOCAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1988 | Anthony DeFrancesco | Northeast | 237 |
| 2 | 1989 | Joe Bartolacci | Northeast | 13 |
| 3 | 1990 | Todd Ore | Western States | 182 |
| 4 | 1991 | Arthur D. Samples | Southeast | 667 |
| 5 | 1992 | Daniel J. Tenhagen | Northeast | 7 |
| 6 | 1993 | William Todd Bostick | Western States | 500 |
| 7 | 1994 | Mark Bochantin | National Transient Lodge | NTL |
| 8 | 1995 | Kem Frederiksen | Canada | 146 |
| 9 | 1996 | Michael T. McVay | Southeast | 199 |
| 10 | 1997 | Charles Howard | Western States | 182 |
| 11 | 1998 | Jeffrey D. Hester | Southeast | 40 |
| 12 | 1999 | John P. Vardon | Great Lakes | 169 |
| 13 | 2000 | Marshall K. Wright | Western States | 182 |
| 14 | 2001 | Michael Anthony | Western States | 502 |
| 15 | 2002 | Jerry M. Fulk | Southeast | 667 |
| 16 | 2003 | Luke Voigt | Great Lakes | 647 |
| 17 | 2004 | Dennis Bishop | Great Lakes | 169 |
| 18 | 2005 | Michael Angstadt | Northeast | 13 |
| 19 | 2006 | William J. Meredith | Southeast | 40 |
| 20 | 2007 | Christopher P. Knox | Southeast | 83 |
| 21 | 2008 | Matthew A. Avery | Great Lakes | 85 |
| 22 | 2009 | Jason M. Brown | Southeast | 45 |
| 23 | 2010 | Michael H. Bogue | Northeast | 7 |
| 24 | 2011 | Brandon P. Dunlevy | Northeast | 154 |
BOILERMAKERS NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP
AREA TEAM AWARD
On April 12, 2000, the National Apprenticeship Board voted to establish the Boilermakers National Apprenticeship Area Team Award. This award was created to recognize the highest performing team of apprentices from the Areas submitting candidates to the National Competition each year. The Areas consist of the Western States Area, the Great Lakes Area, the Southeast Area, the Northeast Area, and the National Transient Lodge.
Two candidates from each Area compete together as teams in the National Competition on rigging, welding, tube rolling, and layout fabrication. They also compete in written, safety, and blueprint reading testing. The Area team with the highest average score wins the Team Award. Awards are presented to each wining team member as well as to the Area they represent.
Southeast candidates Christopher P. Knox, Local 83 (left) and William B. Vanmeter, Local 40 (center) received the 8th Annual Apprentice Team Award. The winners were congratulated by National Coordinator, Pat Smith (right).
Recipients of the National Apprenticeship Area Team Award
| YEAR | AREA | RECIPIENTS | LOCAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2000 | Western States | Marshall K. Wright Daniel Gassenberg |
182 242 |
| 2 | 2001 | Western States | Michael Anthony Adam Crider |
502 627 |
| 3 | 2002 | Southeast | John W. McWhorter Jerry M. Fulk |
105 667 |
| 4 | 2003 | Great Lakes | Joseph A. Imre Luke Voigt |
85 647 |
| 5 | 2004 | Western States | Paul Gehrke Geoffrey Schneider |
11 242 |
| 6 | 2005 | Great Lakes | George L. Bryant, Jr. Carey J. Kowalski |
169 647 |
| 7 | 2006 | Southeast | Michael J. Davis William J. Meredith |
30 40 |
| 8 | 2007 | Southeast | William B. Vanmeter Christopher P. Knox |
40 83 |
| 9 | 2008 | Great Lakes | Matthew A. Avery Richard D. Zeman |
85 647 |
| 10 | 2009 | Southeast | Jason M. Brown Thomas A. Tucker |
45 69 |
| 11 | 2010 | Northeast | Jeffrey Nasta Michael H. Bogue |
L5, Zone 5 7 |
| 12 | 2011 | Northeast | Jonathan Gibli Brandon P. Dunlevy |
L5, Zone 5 154 |
History of Apprenticeship Awards:
The National Apprenticeship Program had just successfully completed its first eleven years of growth when it was struck by the loss of a representative that was very active in the Southeast Area Apprenticeship Program as well as the education of citizens in Mason County, West Virginia. The loss of that representative led to the establishment of the first Boilermakers Apprenticeship Award.
- Paul D. Wedge Memorial Award (Southeast)
- James F. Precht Award (Western States)
- The John Harrington Award (Northeast)
- National Transent Award (National)
- Robert J. McDonough/John T. Mooney/John Nooter Award (Great Lakes)
- Canadian Donald G. Whan Award (Canada)
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